In 1863 at Fort Wagner on Morris Island South Carolina, an American flag was waving. It flew over the head of a black man. His surroundings were acts of injustice, rage, and violence. William Carney wore a uniform tinged with red as he was kneeling in the midst of a green field.
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Later records show he had a calling which led him to this place. It was a desire to “serve my God serving my country and my oppressed brothers.”
That was how William Carney came to be at Fort Wagner in 1863. Morris Island is at the southern approach to the harbor in Charleston. Carney’s regiment was the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. Their task was to serve as the spearhead of the Union assault.
Personal valor
The bullets were flying. One took the life of the color sergeant. Carney picked up the flag and led the assault on the Confederate position. He soon found himself alone and defenseless. The rest of his company lay dead or dying. Turning back to the Union lines, Carney was hit by two bullets. Somehow he was able to continue on, still grasping the flag.
Carney was shot twice more. But he made contact with the rest of the 54th before collapsing. As he did so he said, “Boys, the old flag never touched the ground!” Carney is a Medal of Honor recipient.
Carney simply states: “I only did my duty.”
The Medal of Honor was created during the Civil War. It is the highest military decoration of the United States.
Heroic stories like that of William Carney provide an important reminder for all of us. It is very easy to lose sight of what came before. America is an aspirational nation. Even our founding documents recognize that. We get better through doing, failing, picking ourselves up, and moving forward to success. We stand for the flag.
The value of unity
We must never forget the sacrifices of those who have stepped forward. They come from every generation renewing and more perfectly realizing the promise of America. We are a place of opportunity. Americans thrive, not on sameness, but the dream of success.
We today must ask ourselves: Why did William Carney see something in the American flag that was worthy of honor? What was it he thought was worth fighting to protect? Was he on Morris Island because of or despite the horrors of slavery to which he and his family had been subjected? Is America today the America of 1850?
We should take time to contemplate this question. It is important we realize America is much more than a country. America is an idea, it was a revolutionary idea. “… that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” That’s why we stand for the flag.
Who has paid for our freedoms
The promise of America lives on through the brave heroes who have fought to fulfill our societal vow. Wherever the American flag flies, there too shall be found life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This sacred promise has been ratified time and again as our blood been given. It has watered the beaches of Okinawa, the fields of Gettysburg, the waves of the Atlantic, the streets of Selma, the hedgerows of Normandy, and the deserts of the Middle East. This has continued for about two and a half centuries.
The flag is a symbol of America at its best. It stands for the belief that people of faith can govern themselves. It is a banner of remembrance to those who have fought and died in its shadow. The flag is an emblem that strikes fear into the hearts of dictators and tyrants. It is a sign giving hope to millions escaping the clutches of oppression.
Most of all Old Glory embodies our commitment to fully realizing the founding principles of America. We, the American people, must unite around this shared inheritance, If we cannot the turmoil and strife engulfing our nation will grow. The flag does not, and must not, represent only some of us. E Pluribus Unum. From many one; that’s our motto. America is tolerance and unity. That’s why we stand for the flag.
Respecting what came before
Which side are you on? Do you stand with divisive ideology? Must everything be black or white? Is lawlessness and anarchy where we must go? Do we all have to accept Marxism? Or, can we respect our history and the values and principles of the founding? Can we continue to build on a solid foundation under the rule of law?
Too many have fought, sacrificed, and died in defense of America for us to throw it all away. We should reject those who would divide us. Americans are people with connections, bonds of fellowship and common purpose. We do want to govern ourselves. We do not need excessive meddling from outside. The best government is that which governs least
William Carney personally experienced some of the worst failings of America. Yet, on Morris Island in 1863, he shows us our gallant experiment in freedom is still worth fighting for. In good times and bad, the Old Glory serves as a rallying cry. We, the American people will never let it touch the ground in defeat. Our flag proclaims the promise of America will never die so. Not as long as there is one more William Carney left to defend it.